


Arms Around Me

by heavyweather



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Other, Some softness, Songfic, Sorry Not Sorry, The Truth About Unus Annus, The coffin, Unrequited Love, but a lot of confusion and angst, so like the end of the channel is happening and im sad about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27516589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavyweather/pseuds/heavyweather
Summary: "i- we can't just leave them in there annus," just like before, as unus lifts their head, their eyes are full of tears. "we made a deal with them annus. we have to keep it, like you said."
Relationships: Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor, Unus/Annus
Comments: 2
Kudos: 102





	Arms Around Me

**Author's Note:**

> i literally anand obsessed with unus annus and need more content. my friend made an animatic with ththe song arms but christina perri and i absolutely love that song and wanted to make my own spin of it!  
> -  
> heh animatic from wizardstove: https://youtu.be/skmb2wBMWj4

this year has been long. 

it's been 365 days of constant doing and making. 

annus wasn't expecting for the end of everything to turn out this way. they were the one to seek out the start of everything. they were the one to make the deal for both of them. unus was hesitant, the unknown of the real world was weighing on their mind more than the opportunity to experience everything. annus pushed them into this. 

through everything, annus was the one to keep reminding unus of the end. the inevitable death they would both experience. unus would laugh it off or stay quiet as annus rambled on about time ticking away, ever on till the end. 

but now, annus isn't sure how they feel about the end. 

it was a simple deal: ethan and mark would enter the coffin and unus and annus would live a year in their places. it was simple, all the deities had to do was live for a year and then silently leave when the timer was up. but now annus isn't so sure it's as simple as they thought.

the year has been fun, one of the most exciting years they have experienced in their long existence. being out in the world, being able to experience everything was overwhelmingly joyous for them. 

and being with unus. being with unus was the highlight of everything. 

the two entities' time in the coffin had always been dreamlike and hard to pin down. being conscious of where they were or what they were was a struggle. they couldn't feel anything, couldn't touch anything. after experiencing reality, annus can only describe the last thousand years as just a thought. once but a memory, destined to be like a feeling and nothing else. 

after this year, going back feels like being trapped. once the timer runs out, they must go back to the nothingness of the coffin- just waiting for the next chance to return. 

annus doesn't want to go back to being nothing. 

they have spent so much time trying to be something- that was the whole purpose of the deal. unus and annus could have the chance to experience what it feels like to be alive, but only for one miniscule year. they thought they could handle it. annus thought they could handle going back, they knew nothing else but the coffin, nothing but being nothing.

but now, as the numbers continue to count down, as they are standing next to unus, they can't stomach returning to meaningless existence.

"what if we don't go back?" it's silent in the abandoned house. the lights are off, the sunset streaming through the large windows on either side of the two deities.

they don't say anything else. they are looking at the coffin just a few feet away. it doesn't move, but annus knows it's alive, knows what it can do, what it will do. 

"what?" it's unus, annus almost forgot they were next to them. 

"what if we don't go back?" they lift their head to look at their partner, "what if we stay here?"

"annus," unus looks surprised. it's the first time annus has ever mentioned not returning. "the deal was that we go back. we can't leave them in there." 

annus glances back at the coffin; the black half is shining in the golden light, the white half looks dull in comparison. they don't understand why their chest is so tight.

"they wouldn't know the difference." annus is quieter now. their eyes flicking across the surface of the coffin. "i can't."

unus doesn't say anything to that. they don't know if there is anything to say. they look out the window to their left. the sky is orange and pink, the tops of the houses and trees around them are dark in front of the blazing sun. it's one of the most beautiful things they've experienced. 

"what if we stayed?" annus' voice is small behind them, almost timid. unus is scared of what that means for the two of them. "what if we stayed here, together. we won't have to go back to before- to before, this."

unus glares at the window, their eyes barely registering what they are seeing. why is annus saying this? they've always been the brave one, why do they sound so scared all of a sudden? 

they are quickly turned around, coming to face annus in spin. annus looks frantic, panicked even, as they hold unus by the arms.

"we can stay here, keep pretending to be ethan and mark- we do it so well unus." unus' eyes dart back and forth between annus'. "we can stay and live how we've always wanted to. be together like we want. ethan and mark will never know."

"annus…" it's strange, seeing them like this. annus was always the calm one, always the one to calm unus down from panic. the one to lead the way and hold the fort down. this isn't the annus unus knows. 

"how would they know, you can't feel anything in there." annus looks back at the coffin, their eyes wide. "it's nothing in there. if we cant tell time in there, how would two humans be able to?" 

"annus, you're speaking nonsense." unus lifts a hand to rest on annus' bicep. "we can't leave them in there. it's not right."

suddenly, annus snaps their head back to look at unus. 

"what's right about any of this?!" they shrug off unus' hand and take a step closer, causing unus to stumble back slightly. "whats right about being trapped in that stupid coffin for as long as we have, huh? what's right about not being able to do anything about it in the first place?" 

annus looks down at the floor, its covered in dirt and blood. for a split second the thought of their dirtied shoes passes by. 

"i don't want to give up being able to be something. before this whole thing, there was nothing, i was nothing, we were nothing. the year has been so great, unus. it's been so great being able to do everything we've done. it's been so good to do it with you. to be able to be something has been fantastic, really." 

they take a large breath and look slowly up. unus can see the shine to their eyes as they make eye contact. 

"i can't go back to being nothing, don't you understand unus? i can't." their voice is shaking, trembling out of their mouth, only to hit unus right in the gut. 

they stand there staring at each other. unus' mind is racing, trying to think of something to say that would help, anything. but they've never been good with words, always relying on annus to take the lead with deals.

unus' hands are trembling, their anxiety spiking as the realization of what annus is saying sets in. they don't want to go back. they don't want to return to the coffin. the coffin where two human men are currently wandering around in. annus doesnt want to go back. 

"annus, we have to go back."

it's all they can say. the only thing their brain is screaming at them. they cant leave ethan and mark to the same fate as what the deities were dealt with.

clearly, that wasn't the right thing to say- annus' face scrunches up as a tear drops down their cheek. they're silent tears, but they send a panicked shiver up unus' spine. they rush closer to annus, reaching out one hand to hold their cheek and another to rest on the lapel of annus' suit. 

"annus, please don't cry." unus is frantic as they try to get annus to look at them. "please- please don't cry. we- we can figure something out. please look at me." 

annus is silent as they grasp at unus' hand on their face. their head raising ever so slightly, looking at unus through the hair in their face. 

"you don't get it, unus." they sniff closing their eyes for a second. "i don't want to leave my home." 

"but the coffi-"

"the coffin isn't my home, unus." the sun is casting a shadow over unus' face. their eyes the only thing in the light. they look so sad to see annus like this, they look so lost.

"i don't want to go back because i don't want to leave my home. i don't want to give up the time we have. the time we've spent together, it's been so special." 

unus releases their hand from annus face. annus turns to the side to kiss their palm, the skin rough there. 

"i don't want to leave you. the coffin is where we come from- what gives us life, yes- but you, you unus, are my home." annus steps into unus space, bring a hand to their waist, holding their hand to their chest. 

"in the coffin i can't be with you, i can't talk to you, i cant touch you. i can't even see you in there. we don't exist in there. i-i can't give up being with you for some shitty deal we made a year ago."

they are staring at each other, annus never breaking eye contact throughout all their speech. their eyes are still wet, still shining in the sunlight streaming through the windows behind unus. unus has their mouth open, like they are in the middle of a sentence, almost frozen. annus easily releases their grip on unus wrist at the slight tug unus gives. 

they step out of annus hands, head hanging low as they turn back to the coffin. 

"we can't leave them in their annus, not like this." it's whispered as the light sinks over the tops of houses and behind trees, leaving a light blue blanket over the room. "if-if you don't want to go back, imagine how mark and ethan feel in there by themselves, alone." 

annus starts to tear up again, watching as their partner speaks. they don't know how to convince them of this, that going back would be the end of everything. the end of them.

"i- we can't just leave them in there annus," just like before, as unus lifts their head, their eyes are full of tears. "we made a deal with them annus. we have to keep it, like you said." 

at that annus' heart truly breaks, they are the cause of everything. everything that feels wrong right now is because of them. it's their own fault that they feel like this. why would unus want to stay with someone who only thinks about themselves. 

"do-" they pause, trying to control their breathing. it feels like they are being crushed. "do you not want to stay with me?"

unus just stares back, unmoving. as annus makes to move further, unus looks down and opens their mouth to speak. nothing comes out but a sob. 

"did i do something wrong?" annus stops moving, deciding to give unus space. "can i do something to make you stay?" 

"annus, i can't-," unus looks up at annus and suddenly, the weight of the situation registers on annus shoulders. "you can't expect me to say yes when you've never said anything before now." 

"but-" 

"you've been the one talking about going back this whole time. about the end of everything and the inevitably of death. i-i couldn't handle thinking about it, but you assured me that it was okay, that the end was coming and then it would be over and we would go back." unus looks mad now, glaring at annus through tears. "i was terrified of leaving the coffin! i was scared we'd never be able to go back and now you're saying you don't want to?" 

annus is speechless, words truly failing them for the first time all year. 

"how long have you felt like this, huh? how long were you hiding this from me?!" unus is yelling now, almost screaming at annus. 

"unus-"

"i'm the one that has to do it annus!" they reach into their coat pocket, pulling out a miniature scythe. it grows in their hand as they hold it out to annus. "it's always been my job to end things. you started it and i end it, that's what we agreed on." their voice has slipped back into the trembling mess it was a few seconds ago. 

they bring the scythe down to their side, the metal of the blade scratching against the floor. they don't even look at it as it moves, staring straight ahead at annus. 

annus looks down at the scythe, it's long, almost seven feet long. the metal a deep black even in the low light of the evening. the staff is ornate, twisting designs weave from the end up to the blade. unus always looks regal holding it. 

it makes them reach into their own suit jacket, their fingers catching on the hard wood of the hour glass they were set to protect. it grows slowly as they hold it out in front of them. the sand is almost gone from the top, trickling down over the top of the skull at the bottom. 

the start and end of the year. both reflected back at each other. 

"i just-," annus starts, "i just wanted to be able to-"

they both knew the parameters of the deal. annus would start the timer and when everything was coming to an end, unus would stop it. when it was the end they would go back into the coffin and ethan and mark would get their life back. 

annus knew this, they were the one to make the fucking deal. so why does it feel so unfair to be so close to everything but so far away from what they want.

"i just wanted to be able to hug you." annus looks up at unus and their scythe. they look like their true form now that they are holding it. the bodies they have aren't their own, reflections of mark and ethan, but annus could always see a peek of unus through the cracks. "i wanted to be able to see you, to really see you unus."

unus has been silent, their once quick burst of anger fading as the minutes tick on. being with annus has been wonderful. being able to experience everything with them has been the best part of being in the real world. the reason unus was so hesitant to commit to the deal was because they knew it would be hard to give up being with them like this. 

they look down at the scythe in their hand. it's heavy, the metal weighing down on their arm, but they knew lifting it was as easy as lifting air. it was made for them. they look at annus and their hour glass. unus can't imagine what it feels like to know just how much time was being lost. what it was like to constantly know how much time they had left.

the end could be quick and easy, but it's the hard struggle to start that makes everything feel definite.

as a final decision, unus lifts their hand towards annus. 

they both lock eyes as annus takes them up on their offer. 

it's almost pitch black outside as they come together. unus' free hand coming up around annus shoulders. annus' hands going around unus' waist, the hourglass held tight in their hands. annus can see light slowly leak out of the coffin as the timer ticks on, waiting to welcome them back. 

they can't handle what is about to happen, they've made it very clear tonight that they don't want any part of it. but with unus' arms around them, they think they can bear it for them. to make them happy. annus closes their eyes and barries their head into unus' shoulder. 

the cold metal of the scythe's blade is so close against their neck, even through their hair, they can feel their skin rise into goosebumps. they hold their breath as annus speaks into their ear.

"when you put your arms around me," annus feels unus rest their cheek against the top of their head. "i feel like im home." 

the slice of the blade feels like the wind as unus ends it all. the world around them is black, swimming amongst the dust in the air as they return for the last time. 

they had to go back, just like the deal said.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumblr at moriiweather :) come say hi and drop a message in my ask box


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